Fresh Corn Salad

This delicious fresh Corn Salad features grilled corn tossed with onion, bell pepper, avocado and a simple homemade dressing. It’s as delicious as it is appetizing and it’s perfect for Summer potlucks and BBQ’s.

Side dishes at a summer BBQ can really make or break the meal, and this corn salad reigns supreme time and time again. It’s always the first dish gone! Some of my other favorite summer salads include this Southwest Quinoa Salad and this fresh and healthy Tomato Cucumber Salad.

Corn Salad

Corn salad recipes seem to have gotten so popular, and it’s not hard to see why. Who doesn’t love grilled corn combined with fresh vegetables and a light dressing. Unlike some corn salad recipes, I like to keep mine fairly simple to allow the true hero of the recipe to really shine; the corn!

Ingredients in corn salad:

Corn: If fresh corn on the cob is not available you may substitute frozen corn.

Olive oil

Purple onion: Sweet onion or green onion would also work well. I like the color contrast that the purple onion adds.

Red bell pepper: Any color bell pepper is fine.

Avocado

How to cook the corn to make corn salad:

There are several different ways you can cook the corn to use in this salad. My preferred method is to cook it in a large skillet with a few inches of boiling water, just until tender, and then to brush it with olive oil and grill it over high heat. You could also boil the corn, cook the corn in the instant pot, or cook it entirely on the grill.

How to cook boil corn on the cob:

To boil corn on the cob, start by filling a large pot with water (enough to cover the corn cobs), and bring the water to a boil. Add the corn to the water and bring the water back to a boil (this will just take a couple of minutes). Then turn off the heat and let the corn sit in the hot water for 5-10 minutes.

How to cook corn on the grill:

To cook corn on the grill, first turn your grill to high heat. Then brush the corn lightly with olive oil and put it on the grill for a few minutes, rotating it as it cooks, until it’s golden on all sides.

For this recipe I choose to steam my corn for a few minutes and then grill it for a few minutes. It creates the perfect juicy corn on the cob but also gives it a nice grill flavor that goes perfectly in this corn salad.

Can I substitute frozen corn?

Yes! Thaw the corn in your fridge overnight, or warm in the microwave just until thawed. Add the corn and a little bit of oil to a very hot skillet and cook it for a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until many kernels are lightly browned.

How to Make Corn Salad:

Whisk dressing ingredients. Set aside.

Cook corn. Add 1-2 inches of water to a large skillet. Bring to a boil. Add corn and cook for 3-4 minutes, rotating to cook on all sides. Remove to a plate.

Grill corn. Brush corn lightly with olive oil and grill on hot heat for a few minutes, rotating it as it cooks, until golden on all sides.

Toss salad ingredients. Cut corn off of the cob and add it to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Toss to combine.

Serve this summer corn salad with:

Fresh Corn Salad

This delicious fresh Corn Salad features grilled sweet corn tossed with onion, bell pepper, avocado and a simple homemade dressing. It's as delicious as it is appetizing and it's perfect for Summer potlucks and BBQ's.

Prep Time5mins

Cook Time20mins

Total Time25mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Cost: $8-$10

Ingredients

6-8earcorn*

2Tablespoonsolive oil

1/4red onion

1/2red bell pepper

1avocado

For the dressing:

4Tablespoonsolive oil

6Tablespoonsapple cider vinegar

1teaspoonsugar

1teaspoondijon mustard

salt and pepper

Juice from 1 lime(optional)

Instructions

Whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside.

Add 1-2 inches of water to a large skillet. Bring to a boil. Add corn and cook for 3-4 minutes, rotating to cook on all sides. Drain.

Heat grill on medium-high heat. Brush corn lightly with olive oil and grill for a few minutes, rotating it as it cooks, until golden on all sides.

Allow the corn to cool and then cut corn off of the cob and add to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and drizzle with desired amount of dressing. Toss to combine.

Notes

Substitute frozen corn:

Thaw about 6 cups of frozen corn in your fridge overnight, or warm in the microwave just until thawed. Add the corn and a little bit of oil to a very hot skillet and cook it for a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until many kernels are lightly browned.6 cups of corn